An Open Letter to NHL President Gary Bettman

Dear Mr. Bettman:
Its difficult to miss the open disdain and contempt that you show towards Canadian NHL teams and Canadian Hockey fans. That you would proudly announce that you will fight any move of the Phoenix Coyotes to Canada and block an opportunity to give Hamilton a team shows your complete arrogance.
Your league, Mr. Bettman, does pretty well by the six current Canadian teams. Statistics show the six Canadian teams make up 31% of the league's 1.1 billion dollars of ticket revenue. That is six out of 30 teams Mr. Bettman.
Other numbers show that at least eleven of the USA based teams either just made it or lost money on ticket revenue.
And yet you continue to shun Canada. Local sports announcer, Drew Remenda, who also does color for the San Jose Sharks, sounds more like your publicist than an announcer when he says you love Canada and you were instrumental in keeping the Oilers in Edmonton. Well why wouldn't you keep the Oilers in Edmonton?
In terms of ticket revenue generated they are number 18 on the list ahead of New Jersey, Pittsburgh and Washington among others. Calgary sits at number 14, Ottawa at number 12. Toronto, as you know is #1 in ticket revenue while Montreal sits at number 3 and Vancouver at 8. Pretty good numbers for six Canadian teams.
From a business standpoint a franchise in Hamilton or Winnipeg only makes sound economic sense.
Some of the USA markets that you vigoursly defend including Phoenix are way at the bottom. For example, Mr. Bettman, the Coyotes bring in about $450,000 in revenue per game while Toronto brings in about 1.9 million dollars per game.
In fact in 1996, Mr. Bettman, the Winnipeg Jets, averaged about $330,000 per game so have you really done much better in a non hockey market like Phoenix?
And in case you haven't checked Phoenix isn't your only problem team. Have you checked the numbers for Columbus, Atlanta, Nashville, the Islanders and even the Buffalo Sabres?
Unless somehow you can turn these teams into winners, Mr Bettman it won't be long before they will be looking for somewhere to move as well. And true to form I am sure you will try Kansas City or Orlando and fail again there before you try good Canadian cities.
Its an unfortunate reality Mr. Bettman that not every team can win the Stanley Cup and winning does make a difference. Remember the Washington Capitals? They were about ready to die in the mid seventies. They finished last six out of eight seasons and missed the playoffs every year of their first eight seasons. Then came the trade that brought Rod Langway to the Capitals. They made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history and then never missed the playoffs in the eleven seasons that Langway played there. But even today Washington lags behind the six Canadian franchises in terms of ticket revenue.
You see Mr Bettman just being large in population doesn't guarantee success.
The Saskatchewan Rough Riders play in the smallest market in the Canadian Football League and yet they lead the league in numerous categories. There's a little thing you keep forgetting about Mr. Bettman. Its called passion. Canadian hockey fans have it. It is our game you know. So move out of the way, let Mr. Bassillie have his franchise and let Hamilton have the Coyoteees. By the way we'll call them the Coyotes up here. When that works out and it will, lets bring the Jets back to Winnipeg.